Happy Holidays from BIKEIOWA.com! Check out the 2007 Recap

Posted Dec 15, 2007
7,339

2007 has been another great year for cycling in Iowa!!

RIDE SAFE and a have a GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON! There are two weeks of time to ride in 2007! Each year, Iowa cycling get better and better. We are certainly taking steps to become a bicycle friendly state and within the next 4-5 years, we could be called "Trails Capital of the World". Maybe a bit far-fetched? I'm not so sure... Where else in the world can you find two 100 mile loops of paved trail? Nowhere that I know of. you watch, Iowa will propel itself into an even bigger cycling destination with the next few years. It's great to see it finally happen! Take a look this goofy youtube video of Jeff who highlights 68 "places to See" in Iowa besides corn and pigs and beans and cows and tractors and barns and silos. Don't believe it? Watch the video. Better yet, visit Iowa and see for yourself. As BIKEIOWA approaches it's 8th year in high gear on the world wide web (did I say 8 years?!? WOW! - more to come on that in March 2008!), it's time to reflect some people, places and things that have happened over the year. This is the stuff I'm thankful for! What are YOU thankful for? email Biker@bikeiowa.com and I'll post a list! Every year BIKEIOWA experiences growth and 2007 was no exception. To date 592 rides were posted on the calendar. 742 News items, 89 Features, over 400 new cyclists joined the Ride Reminder list which now tops out at 2,205 cyclists. Oh yeah, over 6,500 photos were posted too. And if you think about it, that is only a fraction of what went on with Iowa cycling. That pretty dang cool! With the explosion of blogs, web sites and mail groups, there are many other Iowa cycling sites where so much information can be shared! it's a great thing, but too much information can lead to overload! Keep BIKEIOWA on the top of you list as it will continue to be a community for 'all things cycling' in Iowa. The large variety of topics apply to all types of cyclists and hopefully leads to a broader knowledge-base for YOU about what is going with cycling in Iowa. Whether you are just scouting out rides, trying to find a team or from out of state looking for a cycling destination, BIKEIOWA.com is the place! "Stop in" for awhile and learn something no matter what kind of cycling you do! Here is a partial list of people, places and things that have happened over the year. Much of this is carryover from 2006, but hey... it still applies for this year too! ADVOCACY

Iowa's continued great media coverage on cycling
The work the Polk County Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee does
MPO Trails Round table activities - planning trail priorities for years to come!
Finally - Being GREEN is cool.
Safe Routes to School program - a full time staff member this year!
Complete Streets starting to make more sense
Iowa Bicycle Coalition - man is it growing!
Iowa Bike Summit makin' it happen
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
The activism of Carl Voss, Angie Dalton, Mike Lustig, Mark Wyatt, Ryan Hanser, Jeff Mertz, Bill Throckmorton, Lisa Hein, Richard Brown, Joe Galloway and Jason Parkin - these are just some of the people you should thank for making a difference this year!
LIVESTRONG Ride
uniformed signage push
E911 program

CYCLING AS TRANSPORATION

Bike To Work Week
Des Moines' first 'real' bike lanes!
Bike rack installations
Bike Route signage push
Record number of People using Bus Bike Racks
DART Bike & Ride Program
Liberty Bike Station
Iowa City Bicycle Library
The great commuter-bike line-up from many bike mfgs this year!

TRAILS

Ankeny to Woodward Trail
Jason Parkin's Happy Trails Series on T.V. 8
Trestle To Trestle Trail
Mississippi River Trail
Trout Run Trail
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation's Trail website
Google trail maps on the Iowa Bicycle coalition
Lot of Trail funding dollars getting approved and allocated
Center Trails always rock!
All the work CITA does
Trail Connectors (2008 will be better)
Trail Daze
plans for the Lewis and Clark multi-use trail
Walnut Creek Trail
Waveland Tail planning
Beaverdale trails revitalization project
Raccoon River Trail Association
Banner Pits mtb Trails
Perry Creek Trail
All the others that I'm not listing
IMBA
ICORR

RACING

Iowa's Racing Scene exploding with growth!
Urban Rides & inner-city races
The new race promoters
cyclocross
Hy-Vee triathlon
The Sunday mud-fest at Spooky Cross
JingleCross
Trans-Iowa
IMBCS #2 Waverly mud
alley-cats
Des Moines Dirty Duathalon
24 Hr Mtb Race
Cycle-de-Mayo
Renegade cyclocross
Cranksgiving
Rainy Quarter-Rage
Iowa Games
The Bike Support at the Des Moines Marathon the Big Creek triathlon
Waterworks Park Omnium Race Series

EVERCHANGING CULTURE

The whole BIKEIOWA community
increasing activism
BIKEIOWA sponsors
Single speed, 29ers, fixed gear and commuter bike popularity
Julie for putting up with me!
Women's Mountain Biking Clinic
Punk Rock Cycling - all woman racing team
The return of DMCC!
Watching Google change the world
Iowa Bike Shops
New Iowa Bike Shops
Team Skin are cool cats
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
CycleSound
Lance in Iowa
Mary's Sunday School Ride
Fenders
L.E.D. technology
The Reverend's ranting
Cycling lifestyle
GPS technology
Trail clean-up days
BLOGS
Lake County cyclists - the Ankeny Club
"Real Bikers Pedal"
Baggers
The godfather - Robby V
Joker Chuck
R Bennett - Krewe Bead Whore
Arkel panniers
Stevie Fry's photos
Cycling LUV
Ride of Silence
Iowa City cyclists
Cedar Falls cyclists
Bad box
passed out penguin
Peeps
Weekly rides
B&Bs on the trails
TACO ride - the big one
TACO ride - the small one
Safety Meetings
Bicycle funeral attendance for those killed on two wheels
Monthly Hosts
post-ride Tacos

EVENTS

Track & Back
Big Wheel Rally
RAGBRAI
TOMRV
MS 150
Leap Frog rides
Charity Rides
BikeWorld Expo
Team and Club Rides
Boji - double century
Ride of Silence
Br. Bob Memorial Ride

ON OTHERS LISTS OF THANKFULNESS

I am thankful for Jeff Mertz for pushing me to get a bike! I absolutely love it and everything that goes along with it. Mertzy - you are THE Man! A true friend - and as you always say "This Guy"! [Newbs]
I am thankful for getting to know my buddies better through bike riding: Jennifer Mertz and Tony & Karen Oberman. Jen Jen - thanks for all the rides to Adel and beyond - and the future rides. Oby - thanks for pushing my ass along! KO - thanks for putting up with us all! [Newbs]
I am thankful for getting re-acquainted with old friends through bike riding: Darin (Hages, Bulldog, Team Mate Captain) & Tanya Hager. We lost touch for awhile but we are BACK! Don't know if this is a good thing... :) [Newbs]
I am thankful for meeting the rest of Team Mate and trying to hang with them on RAGBRAI and many other biking events: Dave Howard, Lonnie & Lori, The Murph, Rich, Cinda, Kevin, Jeff, Jim (Coach) & Jan, Don & Mary, Al & Sally, Terry & Melissa, Randy, Paula, Jim & Rita, Girl Terri, Kyle and any other Team Maters I may have forgot - you guys rock - and drink masterfully! [Newbs]
I am thankful for meeting new friends through biking: Melinda & RG (Tri Chicks) - my RAGBRAI Tent Mates and all around party chicks - I love ya'! Scott Sumpter - where there are bikes and drinking you are there! Angela Dalton - we always seem to meet up at all different outdoor & biking events! Bill Throckmorton - you are a true inspiration! [Newbs]
I am especially thankful for my wonderful wife, Brandi, who has accepted my biking antics as part of our life. More importantly, though, thank you for taking up biking with me. I cherish those rides along the Raccoon River with a bottle of wine as the day is winding down! I look forward to you joining me on more rides in 2008! [Newbs]
Cheers to the future of Bike Riding a la Newbs! [Newbs]
I am thankful for a wife who was willing to get on the back of our tandem and ride across this great country with me this last summer to celebrate my 60th. birthday. We spent 88 days on the road carrying everything we needed on the bike and in the trailer. It wasn't easy and some days she was on the edge of going home, but she never quit. I can't put into words how proud I am of her. Thanks Sue for the greatest summer of my life. Greg C.

Here is that cool little riff from Specialized again!

WHAT I'M NOT THANKFUL FOR

The wrongful death lawsuit against Crawford county
Crawford county's ban against RAGBRAI and how it may harm cyclist's rights
Way too many cyclists killed and injured on the road this year. Even worse than 2006!
Lack of prosecution for motorists who kill cyclists
Lack of a response from State of Iowa regarding increased cycling accidents
Cyclists who don't have lights after dark
Monthly Hosting Fees

Happy Holidays to you, your family and all your bicycles!